In recent years, multi function peripherals (MFP) that integrate a scanner function, printer function, and the like are prevalently used. Such an MFP is connected to a network to control an output apparatus different from the MFP to print an image, and to store an image in a server via the network. Also, the MFP can send an image by FAX via a public line.
However, since the output destinations or output types of data scanned by, for example, a scanner or the like are diverse, as described above, the user needs to set the output destination and the like every time an MFP outputs data, thus considerably deteriorating user-friendliness. To solve such a problem, various techniques have been developed. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-215339 discloses a document transmission apparatus, which can improve the operability and processing efficiency upon transmitting document data to a plurality of destinations by a plurality of transmission methods.
In general, in a network to which an MFP is connected, a file version management server is introduced to manage the operation records to files, content histories of files, and the like. Such version management server has a repository database that stores files appended with version information, thereby implementing file management. In case of the aforementioned file management, the user can set a predetermined file in a read and write accessible state by making, at a client terminal, an operation for issuing a check-out request of the file stored in the repository database of the version management server. Furthermore, when the user makes an operation for issuing a check-in request to the repository database of the version management server at the client terminal, he or she can register a predetermined file in the repository database. In recent years, a client terminal such as an MFP or the like communicates with the version management server using a WebDAV (Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning) protocol. The specification of WebDAV is defined by RFC (Request For Comment) 2518 “HTTP Extensions for Distributed Authoring” issued by IETF.
Conventionally, upon issuing a check-out or check-in request, the user needs to input an instruction at the client terminal. However, since the MFP terminal normally has poor operability of a panel compared to a general-purpose PC and the like, the aforementioned operations become very troublesome. Therefore, an apparatus or method that allows the user to easily make the version management operation with respect to the version management server at the MFP is expected.